New guidelines set by the housing industry body will enable insurers to continue with ongoing repairs and rebuilding of insured properties, the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) says.

The guidance from the Housing Industry Association (HIA) includes applying social distancing measures at worksites, and is aimed at minimising the risk of exposure to the coronavirus.

ICA says the HIA’s nine guidelines means the industry can press on with recovery works in communities affected by the recent bushfire catastrophe and other natural disasters last summer.

General insurance has been classified an “essential service” while government measures are in place to curb public activity in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.

The nine guidelines are:

• Applying social distancing measures on worksites
• Meeting government self-isolation rules on and off worksites
• Keeping the property owner informed of all COVID-19 prevention measures including site management plans
• Isolating construction areas from non-building areas
• Managing project schedules to reduce the number of trades on site at the same time
• Ensuring workers have access to appropriate personal protection equipment
• Ensuring workers have access to appropriate hygiene and safety facilities
• Encouraging contactless payments and deliveries, and travelling off-peak
• Organising site inductions and updates on the latest government requirements.